Defense Sec. Lloyd Austin is on Capitol Hill today to face questioning from Republicans in a scaled-down hearing about his recent secret hospitalization because “sitting for too long” is painful for the still-recovering secretary.
Austin walked extremely slowly down the hallway Thursday morning toward the hearing room, where he faces angry lawmakers trying to figure out why he didn't tell President Joe Biden about his sudden absence for three full days.
He ignored 's question about whether he was healthy enough to carry out his duties as defense secretary.
A handful of Code Pink pro-Gaza protesters stood in the hearing room with signs saying Austin had “blood on his hands” for supporting Israel in its war against Hamas terrorists. They held up their hands, dripping with red paint, before being kicked out by Capitol Police.
Austin, 70, was unexpectedly hospitalized on January 1 after undergoing surgery for prostate cancer several weeks earlier. He did not inform President Biden of his whereabouts until January 4th. He also left Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks in the dark.
“It is completely unacceptable that it took more than three days to tell the president that the defense secretary was in the hospital and not in control of the Pentagon,” House Armed Services Chairman Mike Rogers said at Thursday's hearing .
Rogers also granted Austin's request to limit the length of the hearing to two hours because he is still recovering.
“We understand that you are still recovering and that sitting for too long is not the best thing for your health,” Rogers said in the remarks, obtained by .
Austin was seen walking extremely slowly down the hallway outside the hearing room
Pro-Gaza demonstrators from Code Pink stood in the hearing room and held signs saying that Austin had “blood on his hands.”
He ignored 's question about whether he was healthy enough to carry out his duties as defense secretary
Austin, 70, was unexpectedly hospitalized on January 1 after undergoing surgery for prostate cancer a week earlier
“Therefore, in consultation with Ranking Member Smith, we have agreed to your request to limit your appearance before us today to two hours.”
That means not all lawmakers will be able to question Austin in person.
Austin acknowledged in his opening statements that Congress had “legitimate concerns” about his health.
He insisted that he “never told anyone not to inform Biden or government officials about his hospitalization on January 1st.”
Many House Republicans have called for his resignation for failing to inform Biden of his condition, particularly given the wars in Ukraine and Israel.
Austin didn't reveal the reason for his surgery — his prostate cancer — until Jan. 9, after facing days of questions about his hospitalization. Biden found out about this on the same day as the general public.
The Pentagon released a report earlier this week clearing Austin of blame for his secret hospitalization, but Republicans still want answers.
“Nothing examined as part of this review revealed any evidence of malicious intent or an attempt at cover-up,” the department concluded in its internal review. The unclassified part was published on Monday.
Medical privacy concerns and a rapidly changing situation were found to be largely responsible for Austin's hospitalization being kept from President Joe Biden, senior Pentagon officials and the public.
Inspector General Robert Storch is still conducting his formal review. When he announced it, he said his office would investigate any protocol violations related to Austin's surgery for prostate cancer, his rehospitalization for complications and the failure to disclose to the White House and the public.
The finding is unlikely to satisfy members of Congress, many of whom have called for Austin's resignation.
Chairman Rogers addresses the report and says he was “led to believe” that the review would “shed light on the matter.”
However, “it contains no explanation as to why the president and his aides were kept in the dark.”
Beyond that, “there are no recommendations to improve communications with the White House,” Rogers will say.
“And, unsurprisingly, this doesn’t hold anyone accountable,” he adds.
Protesters demonstrate as US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin arrives to testify before the House Armed Services Committee
Austin was readmitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on February 11 and reported discomfort from a bladder problem related to his prostate cancer surgery in December 2023. He was released on February 13.
He later apologized to President Biden and the American people for keeping his diagnosis a secret.
He described his diagnosis of prostate cancer as a “punch in the gut” and said it “shattered” him personally.
“I was treated for prostate cancer. The news shocked me, and I know it shocks so many others, especially in the black community. “It was a punch in the gut,” he said.
Many House Republicans have called for his resignation for failing to inform Biden of his condition, particularly given the wars in Ukraine and Israel